Footsteps
by LemonMaiden
Summary: Rylai has always had a plain life. But the appearance of Sven has given her a whole lot of new spark and color that she never expected to feel before. By diving into a new changes, Rylai has no doubt whatsoever —as long as she had Sven, she thought. But what if, everything is not as true as it seems? [SvenCM, AU, Drama and Romance ;-; Dozens Chapters to go, lil bit of Lemon]
1. The Loss

**Disclaimer :** All hail the might lord Gaben and his Valv Kingdom who owns DotA!

 **Warnings :** Although there won't be any 'Mature' content on this particular chapter, but I couldn't guarantee it will be like this for the rest of the story. _This ain't rated M for nuthin._

I dedicated this very first chapter of Footsteps to my dearest, senpai-est, one-and-only, **Nat** (aka Marquands on Tumblr and Twitter). The one whose arts has moved my heart and soul and life, to utterly shipped Sven and CM. I'm so grateful we have you in our community of DotA. And thanks for responding so nicely when I said I wanted to make a FF out of your drawings.

Oh, and also, to you guys! Please enjoy the very first chapter of Footsteps, and welcome abroad to SS. DotoDrama.

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* * *

 ** _Chapter 1_ — The Loss**

.

 _Led through the mist_

 _by the milk-light of moon_

 _All that was lost_

 _is revealed_

 _Our long bygone burdens,_

 _Mere echoes of the spring.._

 _._

I stopped my steps when I'm about to hit my hips to the library table.

Carefully, I eluded the object and continued walking, with my head down to a book that was wide open on my palm.

.

 _..But where have we come?_

 _And where shall we end?_

 _If dreams can't come true,_

 _Then why not pretend?_

 _._

I raised my face when I'm arrived at my destination, the end of Icewrack Library's main hall. A fine lady with pale silver hair that flows through her shoulder looked up to me from behind the counter with interest,

"Rylai, leaving so soon? Well, that's anew"

She smiled while reaching for a book that I gave her — _Into the Unknown_ , by Patrick McHale.

"Yeah, Mrs. Auroth, I don't want to miss my last dinner with the long lost sister of mine. You see, she's going back _'home'_ tomorrow.." I explain while throwing last glance to a book that I still longed to read. Mrs. Auroth followed my sight,

"Oh, what beautiful poets, aren't they? But don't let a book ruined your precious moment, _Belle_. You know you are welcome in here anytime"

I gave a soft giggle hearing her calling me 'Belle',

"You right, I better go. Evening, Mrs. Auroth"

She nodded, but when my hands are about to twist the door knob, I hear her calling me,

" _Belle_ "

"Yes?"

"Please consider my offer from a while back, Okay?"

I watch her closely before finally nodded,

"Will do, Mrs. Auroth"

.

"So, you kinda raised her hope up high, right?" Lina was munching a mouthful of Pizza while saying that, right after I tell her a little chit-chat with Mrs. Auroth earlier. The dinner that I mention was not meant to be so grand — with Roasted Chicken or Steak and such. That's the thing with Lina. You don't need anything bizarre to feel special.

"Uh-huh. And I didn't plan to reject her either," I answered,

"She asked me to work at her library, which is a place where I spent most of my time since I arrived at Icewrack. This means, I just do what I did, but this time, with me being paid. It's a win-win situation" I explained,

She nodded a few times before take another bite of pizza.

"Plus, she had a cute nickname for me"

"Yeh? Wazzad?" Her mouth were full

" _Belle_ "

Her eyebrow rose,

"Belle? Like, in the Beauty and the Beast?"

I nodded steadily,

Lina was almost out of breath while she chokes herself with pizza, laughing.

She drinks hastily, straighten her sit, and then start singing

 _"Little town, It's a quite village.."_

"Hey!" I voiced my guff

 _"..Every day, like the one before.."_

"Stop it!" I'm throwing the couch pillow at her while holding back my grin,

 _"..Little town, full of little people.."_

"Lina!"

"Okay, Okay. Hahaha" She laughed with satisfaction along with a burst of redden hint on my cheek, the mixture of embarrassment and amused.

"But, seriously, you're gonna spend the rest of your life in this pathetic place?" She looked at me seriously, although the grin never leaves her lips.

"Yeah, and Icewrack isn't _that_ pathetic"

"Whatever you say, lil sis. I'm glad that a bookworm like you have finally find the rightful nest" I laugh hastily before taking another bite of a pizza.

It is kinda nice to have a company after spending a dozen year of loneliness.

.

It's morning already.

The thing I enjoyed the most is winter. When the white snow pile up and agglomerate to fills our lungs with a sense of cool, I'll inhale as deeply as I could; close my eyes and savoring the moment.

"Hey wanna-be-Belle, haven't you got frozen yet?" Lina's voice woke me up from my daydream.

I was standing right behind an open window. The snow has not yet fall, but the cold wind blows to tell it's not long before that happen.

"Lina, you've done packing?" I switch my attention to a girl that was just hurtle a giant trunk. Her reddish orange hair were tied up, giving an impression of a fiery flame tail.

"Yeah, yeah. You must be glad to see my ass outta here, right?" she fold up her hands on her chest, I share a giggle while walking right to her,

"What're you talking about? Of course no..." I hugged her —the thing I don't usually do to anyone, but knowing that I'm not going to see her for a long while defeated my cold pride as ever. She hugged me back, tightly.

.

Me and Lina, my sister, have been apart for more than a half time of our lives.

Mum and Dad decided to send us in separate ways. They purposely send me to a boarding school far away in Northern Icewrack, while Lina lived with our Aunt and Uncle in a tropical country far away in South.

That happened when we were just finished our Elementary School. About 13 years ago. Never knew what goes there inside of our parent's head.

We reunite a couple months ago. When she visited Icewrack because she thought _'its time'_. I'm a little bit flattered that she took a break out of her Modelling career back there in the big city of south, just to spend some time with her long lost sister that —I thought— she never cared.

We used to just meet at holidays in our parent's house. And we fought —-a lot. I even called her a 'hellfire hell bitch' a couple years back, and she tells me that I was adopted in return. We never spoke weeks after that. But when farewell comes, we work it out with loud cries and a deep regrets.

I guess she learned from that.

It was an awkward week at start, because even though we are sisters, we looked as different as it could.

Lina with her flowy flame-colored hair, and sun-tanned gold complexion, completed with outgoing attitude. Her manner was as lived as her looks. A whole upside-down contrary with me. I'm as pale as a human being can, caused by lack of sunlight of Icewrack. And my hair colored like dull-edelweiss flowers that gobble up high above the mountain. I practically feel jealous of her. I felt myself as a minor boring soul that no one bats an eye with.

But that didn't stay long. It doesn't took a while to be _sister_ again with your sister. With an attitude like Lina, you can even make a snowball melts. Just like what she did to me.

But every good thing must come to an end —well, for now. Lina is going back to the big city called Oldenburg to prepare for her special-winter-shot-catalogue-stuff-that-will-boost-her-career that I didn't really care of. Well, you don't really want to care to see your sister in a minimalist 'winter' gown posed up and stapled in front of magazines. It's not that she's _that_ kind of model. But, you know. Our society is fucked up.

Anyway, enough history lesson of us. Now she's going to walk out of my life —again. I'm utterly mad and sad and upset, but what can I do? I've spent 13 years without her. I'm sure I can handle the next years also.

"Oh, Rylai.. I'm gonna miss you so damn much" She mumbled, and I can't bear to hold my frown.

"Well, I'm gonna do the same. I'll miss you.." I say softly, savoring the warmth of her arms.

"Visit me next time, aight?" She chuckled to fight back a tear. I nodded, and find myself tearing also.

We broke up our hug, and walk side by side to the door.

This winter is going to be colder than ever.

.

I gazed onto the dark bitumen that looks slightly glittering. No, it's my eyes. Everything looked glittering and diffused into blur.

The warm drop of tears left my cheek opens for a cold track, blowed by the cold of winter air. I felt my chest empty. Not broken, but empty as hell. Losing Lina felt way worse when she's actually gone.

I'm still sitting on the side of the parking lot, giving my back to a gate which has _'International Departure'_ titled in a capital yellow brightly-lit letter.

The fresh memory of Lina's back that walked away from me, before once again, turn around and waving for the last time before gone, has made another tear slide through my cheek. _Drops_.

"Hey, are you all right?"

A low and heavy sound heard, and before I know what happened, my eyes widen, as I looked into a figure that I never saw before. A total stranger.

A man, with a robust chest and firm arm, half bowing to me.

He did not smile, but both of his hands were holding each cup of warm coffee —one of them are stretched out to me, holding a cup of warm coffee that let out a thin steam.

His eyes —dark and deep, with the color of ocean blue, looking straight to my puffy eyed face. His hair were dark, and it makes his overall looks even more trenchant.

He wore a thick leather jacket and a scarf, also, a huge backpack were emerging behind his back.

I blinked and start to stutter, awkwardly accepting the glass he offer.

"N- Y.. Yeah" I mumbled quietly, while looking down and focusing on a dark liquid inside the cup. It felt warm.

"You're not moving from this spot for like an half hour, and the show starts to falling down.." He said, while sitting next to me. I can feel the clop when he drops his backpack.

"T..Thanks.." I said, quietly.

"Hm?"

"For.. The coffee" I hastily sip the cup that I've been holding on, and felt the warm liquid touching my lips. The rich-scented steam blows up into my face, and it make me realize how cold the weather actually are. I was just wearing a pale blue cardigan that wraps my chest and arms over a cotton dress and a sneaker. _I'm shivering._

"You're welcome" That deep voice touches my hearing, and it makes me look toward him, while gulping my coffee. Seeing me turned my sight, he also did, facing me, and with raised eyebrow, he though saying a ' _what?'_ without opening his mouth.

Suddenly, I lowered the cup,

"You.. didn't put anything in this, right?"

He choked instantly,

"Are you trying to rob me?! You-You're trying to- Do bad stuff, Aren't you?!" My voice cracked, while he coughed and patting his chest numerous times.

I moved myself away a little from him. He's trying to catch his breath.

"Oh, Miss. Please forgive me if I looked too suspicious. I didn't know the Icewrack locales are so aware of those kind of stuff."

I instantly speechless,

"Um.." Is only a brilliant word that came out of my mouth. I observe his figure once more,

The way he sits is a bit hunch, and even though he's wearing a thick jacket, I can see clearly the muscle that fills his arms and shoulder.

 _He looks strong._ That's the first thought across my head.

"Don't worry, I'm _not_ going to rob you" His voice was making me blink dumbly, and at that exact moment, I realize how fool and embarrassing I was.

"I- Um, well, sorry.." I talked more likely to my cup,

"..for accusing you such thing" I continued.

The man next to me let out a clear laugh, I can see his eyes narrowing while his lips diminish, his chest were shaking up and down, while his laugh slowly filled my entire skull.

 _Oh my God._ I thought,

 _He's gorgeous._

* * *

 **A/N** : Well well well, _There must be more than an Icewrack's provincial live,_ amiright?

I do notice that I did put a lot of 'outside stuff' in here. Just to make the character feels more alive and realistic, hopefully that not gonna make them too out-of-character. If you have spare time, I recommend listening to "Into the Unknown" that covered by Lizz Robinett on YT. I mention this earlier up there just to get the feels of... like.. entering the world you never know. Which is Rylai's going to do. soon. not in this chapter tho. but soon. And, yes, Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Because Sven is a Beast when his ult on. jk.

It's just an upstart so I didn't put a hollot of action into this chapter. Please bare with me, but I'll make it up on the future chapters. perhaps.


	2. Stranger Danger

**Disclaimer :** DotA 2 still owned by lord GabeN and volvo. So.. yeah ;-;

 **Warnings :** Not a lemon-ly chapter, but its pretty deep,

I'm sooo glad to see a couple review that shows positivity and just aggghhh. Thanks. Here you go, I'm eager to write it down and pretty much happy of how it comes out —I hope you too.

* * *

 **Chapter 2 — Stranger Danger**

The sun was sat deeply when I gaze into an evening sky. Snow is pouring down heavily now, and starting to pile up around the sidewalk and tree branches.

I let out a sigh, giving a vision of warm thin steam out of my half-open lips.

"So, Rylai?" That deep voice called my name, making the back of my neck shudder slightly.

"Hmm?" I answered mindlessly, while switching my attention to him. Our eyes met.

"What do you want to eat?" His eyes moved to the menu list of various _kebabs_ that he held. I blinked once to restore my awareness.

"Umm.. I'd like a lamb _kebab_ with plum sauce and some ginger-milk tea" I was squeezing my belly while imagining that dish. I haven't been touching any food for almost the whole day.

"Lamb and milk? Well, you have a fine taste" He folded the menu before reaching for a pen to write down what he just heard.

I was looking at his hand writing. It is short, with some line breaking apart at some point, and not at all neat. Not realizing, I was smiling at that moment.

"What're you ordering, Sven?" Ah, _Sven_. The name of this man that stood in front of me. He looked up from his little note,

"I guess some chicken _kebab_ with veggies and ginger coffee. It's getting cold in here isn't it?" He answered while showing off his writing. True, this night will be colder than ever.

.

We have talked a little bit today, and I guess that's enough to make sure that he did not mean to do any harm to me. Remembering that, makes me feel like a total idiot. _Me, Rylai_ —a mid-20-ishwoman, which made me a full grown adult, still freak out for finding a broody man that offer me a cup of coffee.

Sven, the name of that guy, is a bit older than me. He was on a vacation trip, visiting some country with extreme climate around the globe with his backpack. It's been a couple week since he landed on Icewrack, and he supposed to go back to his country tonight —that if, the flight he's about to get on wasn't delayed by the storm. Hey, didn't I tell you there'll be storm tonight?

Once again, I'm paying attention to his face. It is clear, that he's not a teenage boy anymore. Well, not with all that soft wrinkles around his eyes -and a couple of smile line, even though I rarely saw him smile. But when he does, his eyes will smile along, squinting gorgeously, and when that happens, I can swallow the whole word that I was about to say. I'm speechless.

.

The sky is getting darker along with the night fall. We still sit at the same spot, holding cup that fills with hot chocolate with floating marshmallow as dessert.

Snow are getting thicker along with the ice which starts to layering the window glass. Frozen.

We stared the snow fall in silence, the calming sensation of winter starting to caress my mind in ease. Then suddenly, I remember Lina. Wondering where she is, what is she's doing right now. I imagine her on a plane seat, racing up with windy snow and storm. _She probably asleep with her headphone on._ I thought.

I let out a heavy sigh when I felt my eyes heavy. A tear drops lightly —which I sweep up quickly with the back of my hand.

"Rylai, you okay?" Sven's voice made me hold my movement, with a broken smile, I answered,

"I'm alright. I just.. Remembering Lina"

He raised his brows in response, and I almost slap my own forehead in return —I just realized he didn't know a thing about Lina.

"She's my sister, you see.. Well, I was escorting her home earlier at the airport. So that's why.. I was, well, um.. You found me then." Sven watches me closely as I speak, making me want to dip my whole face in the marshmallow cup. My heart beats faster.

"She must be a special kind of sister, yes?" His word makes me think for a moment —before finally nod.

"She kinda is.. We've been separated since kid, so, I guess I'm kinda devastated to have to lose her again" I said quietly, making him look at me closely —again. I can feel my stomach tighten. _Marshmallow dip here I come.._

"You know you didn't really lose her, right?" His voice suddenly woke me up from the marshmallow-daydream, making me look at his face — _closely_. A few seconds later, I looked down, as I can hear my own heart-beat.

"Y-you think so?" I'm squeezing my own finger.

"M-hm, you can still call her, send her message, or even letter. Well, in the end, you still going to meet each other —'cause you're family. Just like it was, you thought you lost her for all this year, but she's here, right? She was with you just a few hours ago"

I'm digesting his words, remembering back then when we used to send each other a postcard. It felt like years and years —well, it literally does took us _years._ Waiting for each other, without making any move nor effort to do something about it. Everything feels like a dream, every pain, and miss, and all those years in loneliness. It's all disappear when I took her in a couple months ago. It's hard to believe how that sweet memories of a few weeks back seems to fade away with the fact that Lina has gone through the airport doors. A fact that I see in front of my eyes. It felt so painful that I can't really feel any other thing at that moment.

I felt another tear sliding off my cheek,

"You're right, Sven.." I swipe the wetness off of my face,

".. I was too focusing on losing her, that I didn't realize she's still gonna be there for me —someday. However, she's my sister, and nothing's gonna change that"

Sven move a few inch and hold my hand, I blinked nervously.

"That's right. Life didn't ends there. You can make your own tomorrow however you want" He smiled, and I mindlessly smiled back, _wider._

Both of his hand were facing down, holding my palms in there tightly. His held was sturdy, and warm. I'm focusing the feeling of his skin on _my_ skin. He brushed his finger a few times, sending me some jolt on the spot.

That man smiled again before pulling off his hand. His smile was sincere, and at that particular moment, it felt like time stops. And I felt sedated. Totally speechless. I gaze into his deep dark eye, once again, admiring how he could pull me into a whole new point of view, alleviate my pain, but in realistic way.

I blinked when I felt my phone on the table were beeping a few times. I reach it in a hustle move. My smile faded instantly. I looked out of the window, a dark gray car was blinking its light at my direction.

"What is it?" Sven asks while sipping his hot chocolate.

"Um, well.. My Uber is here, which I order earlier. I totally forgot, damn.." I frowned my eyebrows while swiping the phone screen eagerly, trying to find the _Cancel Order_ option.

"Uber?" repeated Sven, I looked up to him for a moment. His face was full of confusion.

"Yeah, It's an app that sends you a car to pick you up, so you can do stuff with your phone and so on.. _Now where the heck is that cancel button?!"_ I'm trying to explain shortly while my palms are starting to sweat, making my finger trips a few times on the phone screen.

"Oh I see, so you're have to go now?"

"I guess not.."

"But why? Isn't your car arrived?"

"Well, your flight is still on delay, right? I can't just leave you out here alone. It's getting late" My answer made his laugh broke,

"Are you kidding? _I'm_ the one who can't let a girl wandering around with a stranger at night —especially with a storm coming up."

I'm squinting my view, looking straight at him,

"If I leave now, we will never see each other again. Right?"

My question made him paused for a moment. He looked me back, making me turning my sight away a second later. My cheek feels hot.

"Ah, right.. You're still traumatized by farewell"

I gulped, my throat feels dry.

"Sven.. You're not my sister — _umm brother_ , you're not my family. But I enjoyed your company, I really do. And if there's still a few hours until we never see each other ever again, why don't we just.. Make the most of it?"

He let out a heavy sigh, then looked me.

"Well Rylai, I do feel the same. It's nice to talk to you for a long while. But still, I can't let you stray away, dragged by me, for the whole night —just to be left alone in the end."

I looked away. The car lamp are reflecting gently through the window, leaving red and yellow traces. The sky are pitch black, showering us down with fleck of snow.

"Then.." I pause, gathering my courage before continued,

"... we don't have to be here the whole night, right? Why don't you.. uhm, go.. to my place —just for getting through the storm, until the airport opened in the morning, yes?"

Sven's eyes widened, but his face calmed down as he thought of my words,

"Just.. take this as a thank-you-favor in return for giving me coffee this afternoon." I looked at him, hopelessly. Holding the force to grab his hand as much as I can. After a few seconds, he said,

"You realized we're just delaying the inevitable, right?"

I'm nodding, surely,

"A hundred percent"

He let out a crunchy chuckles before finally stood,

"Alright."

.

We were sitting side-by-side on the back seat of the car. Snow drowning us heavily, just like a white sugar that drops from the sky.

If you look at the situation in general, I can't say what I did was nice. Going home late at night with a man that I just met a few hours ago. I couldn't really tell what was going inside my head earlier. But one thing is certain, I don't want to be apart with this man —well, not now.

I just want to linger with him a little longer.

The car turns, our arms brush each other. I turned my head and see him —Sven, resting his back on the seat while gazing off of the window. The street lamp glows repeatedly, showing off his face that made me bite my bottom lips. My hand pressed down on my chest, trying to calm my own heartbeat. When he turns at me, I quickly turns my face. I smiled to the opposite window, to the snow, to the sky that sprinkled by a night star.

 _Just a little longer.._

* * *

 **A/N** : "Life doesn't end here". A guy told me that after broke my heart numerous times, and yet it works. It help me through the ugly times in life and I thought, well, Rylai could use that words too. Well I hope YOU too, don't be a whiny bitch you are when life punch you in the face, OK? (9 ' ^ ' )9

Not much of a stuff here today, but this chapter is a good trigger, yes? :3


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